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Defend Your Joy
John McCain has declared war on us.
His war on the American psyche started with his "Celebrity" series of ads and the insidious charge designed to destroy the very notion of support for Obama. He might as well have dropped napalm on our hearts and minds.
We tend to think Obama is the target of those nasty GOP ads, but make no mistake: McCain is targeting us just as much. He understands that we — you and I — are Obama's real strength.
And the McCain campaign of demoralizing of us continues. His choice of Palin is intended to energize his base, yes, but it's also meant to enrage us with its blatant flimsiness. His recent barrage of lies and phony controversies have the effect of taking voters from Obama, true, but that onslaught also has the effect of robbing Obama of something more important: our joy.
McCain is conducting his campaign as if he were fighting Vietnam all over again. And in his troubled military mind, we are the Viet Cong. Let him think so. The VC won that conflict.
Don't let McCain and the Far Right destroy our morale. Remember that we are the majority in this country. Remember that our cause is not merely just; it is vital to the future of human life — perhaps all life — on this planet. And we can win this with guerilla tactics and lots of hard work. And however much withering fire he might train on our resolve, McCain cannot stand against us if we are united in our purpose.
So let the massive crowds assemble again. Let us listen to the stirring anthem by will.i.am and know unashamedly that we are, truly, the change we have been waiting for all our lives.
Let us fortify our hearts with good cheer and laughter. Let us release the power of our shared dream. Let us nurture hope. And most of all, let us be joyous again. Oh, my good fellow Americans, let us be joyous!
Yes we can. Yes we will.
Comments (11)
I have spent two days being nothing but pissed off. You are right. We (I) need to cheer up and get to work. I am watching Obama now, who is doing great; I am still mad at the soft-balls McCain got, but the unfairness and lies are getting to me.
I think I need to turn of the teevee and my computer for a while ---------but I CAN't!!!!!
Help!
Just for laughs, go here for hockey mom insight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHelRKTQwz8
Personally I'd rather spend my time with a pit-bull!
September 11, 2008 9:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Right on, Ripper! McCain wants to kill our hope. Let's not let him.
September 11, 2008 9:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh well. I didn't think this actually "took." I had The Facilitatrix repost an improved version.
September 11, 2008 9:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please recommend the improved version of this post and recommend it instead. Thanks!
September 11, 2008 9:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's something else undermining native optimism:
The Right has been trying to get Americans to be afraid and stay afraid for the last seven years and one day. They've been successful in many ways, so much so that people who would never have imagined giving up their civil rights in the past now see surveillance as a way to protect them from . . .
That's part of the point. Protect us from what?
Protect us from our freedom? Protect us from our ingenuity? Protect us from our compassion for others? Protect us from our joy?
Fear is the enemy of freedom, and thus creativity, compassion, and joy. Freedom lets us discover and develop the means of making oil and coal obsolete for our energy needs. Freedom lets us act on the compassion we feel for the victims of opportunists—including way too many Americans who are both the victims and the victimizers—and bring them along with us out of poverty and the thrall of corporate interests around the world. Freedom lets us take satisfaction in our gifts and the good we can do with them.
There's your joy. Making changes that affect everyone for the better brings joy that can spread. It's hard to be afraid when you're joyful. And that's the threat to McCain and the Right.
September 12, 2008 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Love the post.
Yes, we are the majority. And not only that, we held the majority in this country for 40 years. The Repugs wrestled it from us and in 12 short years they have totally self-destructed.
;)
September 12, 2008 4:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
More like 6. Repubs gained control of the house,senate, AND the white house for the first time EVER and they actually had the chance to implement their plans and look where it left the country.
September 12, 2008 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Love the post.
Yes, we are the majority. And not only that, we held the majority in this country for 40 years. The Repugs wrestled it from us and in 12 short years they have totally self-destructed.
;)
September 12, 2008 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree, Ripper. Rec'd.
Blatant Diary Pimping Alert...I posted a diary with the same sentiment, but the multiple postings have blown it off the main page.
Click here if you're ready for more humorous McCain/Palin beatdowns.
And yes, my friends, I can shamelessly ask for recommends...because, for 5 1/2 years, I wasn't able to blog...
September 12, 2008 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice, Ripper!
I was going to make a repost of http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/05/rebuilding-the-positivity.php back from May but you saved me the work! Remember those days? :D
September 12, 2008 7:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great post, thanks for the refocus.
Today I read (NYT) about the McCain campaign is going over the top with lies.
I saw clips of Palin unable to string together answers from her force fed training.
I saw clips of McCain getting trauched and booed on the View.
I read in Slate and on TPM about how Palin was really not very good to just bad in the Gibson interviews.
I heard on the radio (NPR) about the lies that are going on in the campaign and how McCain really is a lot worse.
I read in Slate (with stats) how many more lies and untruths McCain is telling.
I feel good.
September 12, 2008 8:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
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